Red Flags When Selecting The Right Personal Injury Attorney

By
Cohn & Swartzon Blog
|January 27, 2014

Choosing the right personal injury attorney for your case can be overwhelming
at times. However, there are certain universal red flags that, if present,
should dissuade you from working with a particular attorney. Looking for
these red flags can help you narrow down your search.

First and foremost, you do not want to be represented by a lawyer who refuses
to honor your wishes, or refuses to sign a
retainer agreement in the first place. A well-written retainer agreement is the financial
agreement between the client and attorney and will include the following points:

Required client actions

Attorney rendered services

Legal fees and related expenses

Payment schedule

Grounds for dissolution of an inharmonious professional relationship

Aside from a solid retainer agreement, you also do not want to be represented
by an attorney who typically represents insurance companies, as they do
not have the consistent experience of representing individuals. Also,
any attorney who asks for payment up front, in the form of a retainer
fee or the rejection of a
contingency fee, should not be trusted.

Another good idea is to check with the State Bar Association to determine
if the lawyer you are wishing to hire has ever been sanctioned. If so,
this can be a major red flag. Additionally, you should look for a Martindale-Hubbell
rating on the firms website. If this is not present or they do not have
a rating at all, this can be a major red flag. Excellent lawyers and law
firms may have a "preeminent" rating with Martindale-Hubbell.
The highest attorney rating is an AV.

Finally, do not waste your money with a firm where the attorneys are too
busy to handle your case themselves. Your attorney should always be your
primary contact and the person who is responsible for actually doing the
work on your case. Some firms employ "contract runners" who
are sent to you to sign important documents like your retainer agreement.
If someone other that your attorney is having you sign all-important documents,
this is a major red flag.

Ultimately what must be proven to win a case is that someone else was negligent
or careless and that it was their negligence or carelessness that caused
your injury. At Cohn & Swartzon, it is our duty to prove this. We
encourage you to bring your personal injury case to our accomplished attorneys
at Cohn & Swartzon, regardless of the type of accident or injury you
have suffered from. Contact us today and sign up for a
free case evaluation!

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.